Monday, September 5, 2011

End of Summer Peach Gelee – When Candy was Special

I was reading some comments under this peach gelee video on YouTube, and was shocked by the number of “omg! the sugar!!” type remarks. People, this is a candy, not a dessert. Candy is supposed to be an extraordinarily indulgent bite, enjoyed in small amounts only on certain very rare and special occasions.

Unfortunately, candy has lost its specialness, and somehow turned into a casual snack. We've gone from enjoying it at a couple sacred yearly festivals, to eating several handfuls a day. Let’s face it, the only reason you go up and chat with that receptionist is because she works behind a giant fishbowl filled with mini Snickers bars. Everybody knows.

Well, this fresh peach gelee is not that kind of candy. This is an old fashioned, handcrafted candy that takes a little time and finesse to pull off. It’s simple and sweet, but looks and tastes like something you’re only suppose to enjoy a few times a year.

I’ve never made this before, but saw an easy-looking recipe here, and tweaked it by using lime instead of the more traditional lemon. The recipe worked like a charm, and has me thinking about a late fall version using spiced pears. The method really intensifies the fruit flavors, and I find the jellied texture it produces very addictive.

Anyway, I hope you find some nice ripe peaches, and give this a try soon. If you’ve had experience making these types of gelees with other fruits, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thanks, and enjoy!


Step 1:
1 pound ripe peaches, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon lime juice
- Puree and add to sauce pan with 1/2 cup of sugar
- Boil for 15 minutes as shown
Step 2:
add 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons liquid pectin
- Bring to 200 degrees F. and cook for 10 minutes

View the complete recipe

61 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha! Watched the Video even before you posted it! I'm 13, I think I might want to try this out... Eat some sweets.. :) Anyways... Great Recipe! And, Keep up the great work Chef John :)

JoAnn said...

This reminds me of Turkish Delights, applettes and cotlets. Yummy stuff for Christmas and hostess gifts. Check out this recipe http://thisdamecooks.com/2009/05/gourmet-gift-turkish-delights/ Another super video...many thanks Chef John.

am said...

thanks for the recipe - i usually make this type of gelee with quinces or dogwood berries - never tried it with peaches but will do as soon as i can get my hands on some.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to bother, but what do you mean with "cup"
the measurement, or just a cup?
sorry, I´m european :D

Chef John said...

its a 8 fluid ounce measuring cup.

Ginger said...

I received a box of chocolates as a gift once, and in the center was a single gelee half dipped in chocolate. It's an easy way to fancy it up a little if you want, but it's not necessary (although I guess it made it seem more in place with the rest of the box). These are excellent without that, though.

Anonymous said...

Nice idea about the gelee candy, but the various links to meat recipes got my attention more.

Anonymous said...

Well, I don't think that this is anything that Pioneer Woman would make on FN. This is like chick food.

Anonymous said...

Hey Chef,
is this how you would make membrillo but instead of peach you'd use quinces?

Lacerda said...

Seems a really nice way to make kids eat fruits.

I was wondering, do you think it would be possible to replace the liquid pectin by tangerine juice (which is rich in pectin) without messing too much with the flavour? How much juice would be necessary?

Cheers

cb said...

Hi Chef, I wonder if this could be made with spearmint - or orange. I am very fond of orange and spearmint jelly candies. I may try to experiment - any thoughts or tips on that idea?

Chef John said...

not sure how thick it would get, but give it a try!

Jerry said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe. I look forward to trying this :)

Jeff said...

Can I do this with Jackfruit instead of Peaches?

Chef John said...

Sorry no idea! Never ad it before.

Josh said...

Is it one pound of peaches after removing the pits? :)

Chef John said...

Yes, one pound prepped.

Anonymous said...

can I use unflavored gelatin instead of Pectin? Seems like a viable idea.

TheSweetestVegan said...

This is what I try to preach on my channel. "when candy, and sugar for that matter, was special" You can have candy and dessert and be healthy, and vegan; just not everyday!

Chef John said...

No gelatin won't give same texture.

Anonymous said...

These looks a lot like a typical mexican candy called "ate" (the 'a' as in apple and the 'e' as in blend) and its simply delightful; here we do either with quince, guava, apple, or pear. And of course these one looks great and really yummy!

Anonymous said...

Would powdered pectin work? If yes, what measurements should be used?
I have powdered pectin and want to try making this.

Anonymous said...

I love how you just coincidentally posted this right after the fam. and I came home from the farmer's market - I went w/ my dad to buy peaches at one stall, and my mom and brother went to different stalls. Turns out Mom also bought peaches - 18 pieces of peach altogether!! >.<

Long story short, I now know how to make use of them, and I will be sharing them for a banquet next week. Thanks!!

Anonymous said...

Hi, Chef John. Thanks for this recipe. Any idea how long these will keep? And should they be stored in the fridge or is room temperature okay? I'm thinking of making a batch for Christmas gifts, but would need to travel with them so timing is an issue.

[latablecommune.blogspot.com]

Chef John said...

They hold best chilled, but out at room temp for a day is fine.

Andria said...

Hi Chef John, Where can i find liquid pectin? Thanks!
andria

Chef John said...

Any large grocery store has it!

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John,

This looks like what we call in Caribbean or South America( Latin) "mermelada" I will make this to see if it tast similar or even better, yummieeeeee

Anonymous said...

Can i use other fruits like apple?

Anonymous said...

Hey chef dude. How can i know it's 205 degrees without using any thermometer?

Chef John said...

You can't.

Josh said...

Hey Chef John,

I tried making these when you first put up the recipe and they were DELICIOUS! They came out amazing. I'm thinking about experimenting with different fruits when they're in season, like mangoes, strawberries, kiwi, oranges, limes, etc. I know I'll need to adjust the amount of sugar depending on the sweetness of the fruits. I'll let you know my results :)

SapphireCMoon said...

I made an apple gelee with an extra step and it turned out great! Thanks Chef John!

Anonymous said...

OMGZ going to eat them all!!!!

Grace said...

when you say cook it for 10 minutes after it reaches 205 F, do you mean let the temperature keep going up? or keep adjusting to keep it around 205?

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John, I am quite frustrated that my peach gelee failed to work 5 times. I reheated the mixture, added one lemon amount of lemon juice to the mixture, added an additional bag of pectin to the mixture and nothing worked. It just wouldn't harden. Can you tell me why mine failed so miserably?

Chef John said...

So sorry! But I have no idea! All I know is I did it as shown and it worked well. Could be the acid.

Pak said...

We have almost the same thing in Thailand but made of ripe mangoes :-D it's so sweet, no need any more sugar!

B.H. said...

Would I be the first to say that you have a nice damascus knife?

Anonymous said...

Hi, I am from the Island of Barbados. We sell a local candy here, identical looking to your Peach Gelee. (That is why the picture caught my attention) It is actually made from the Guava fruit and is known as Guava Cheese!! It is an old fashioned local candy. Why it is called "Cheese" I would never know. All I do know that it taste very good and you have now made me want to try this version!!
By the way ... I love your videos. They do help to bring a recipe to life!!

creepyp1 said...

Can't wait to try this!

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John,
I was wondering, do you think this would work with other fruits?

Anonymous said...

Mangos are in season here in Guam. I'm going to try it!

Anonymous said...

Chef John? Did you peel the peaches? Can't really tell from the video or the recipe directions. And do you let the mixture cool down a bit before you poured it over the plastic wrap?
Cant wait to make this!
Thanks :)

Chef John said...

yes, peeled. yes, a little

Ali said...

Dear Chef John,

Could you do this recipe with a Citrus, for example a lime or lemon flavor?

Chef John said...

sorry, I don't know! only made a few

Anonymous said...

Has anyone tried this with powdered pectin? What were the results? And the conversion? Thanks in advance!

Sarahfax said...

Hi Chef John!

Could this be done in a layered fashion? Like could I do this as shown with peaches, chill it, then make a raspberry gelee and pour it over the peach gelee and chill again?

Chef John said...

I don't see why not!

ejelassi said...

I've made gelees for years, but never thought to make peach...fantastic idea! Thanks for the recipe. They look delicious :)

T said...

Hi Chef John,

Would any pectin be ok to use? what brand of pectin did you use? I bought liquid pectin from Ball and candy didn't set for me. Thank you.

Chef John said...

Sorry, don't remember! Brand should not matter!

Sugar cookies said...

Hi Chef John,
I wanna make these for a party. Can I make these ahead of time? How long can I store these at room temperature?

Chef John said...

Sure you can make ahead. Not sure how long it lasts though.

Unknown said...

Can I use frozen peach? and if I don't like too sweet, can I decrease some sugar?

Unknown said...

Hi Chef John!
Can I use frozen peach instead? Cuz I can't find ripe peach in my country. Thnk..

Chef John said...

You can use frozen, but not decrease sugar.

Cookin' in Woodstock said...

I will be making the peach gelee as soon as all our peaches ripen. I did make plum gelee and it turned out fantastic. I then cut some of the plum gelee into very small cubes and put them in my pear bread recipe. What a treat! Every one loved the bread, now call Plum Kissed Pear Bread.

Cookin' in Woodstock

Unknown said...

Hey! I am new to both your blog and you channel and I absolutely love you! Your commentary is hilarious and your recipes look delicious. I cannot wait to try them! I also have a quick question about the pectin: Can I substitute it in other recipes that require gelatin or would it not hold as well? I can't have gelatin, so I'm asking.

Anyways, love your videos and I hope to see more from you! Take care and happy cooking :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Chef John, I really like your videos and recipes. Hope to see more of your work in the future!
I'm wondering that can I substitute liquid Pectin in this recipe with powder pectin and how much powder pectin should I use. Also can I use mango instead of peach?